“But don’t kid yourself that every red blooded American rushed down to the recruiting office on their 18th birthday.“
….Or that they were all signing up for the infantry. They gave my father this choice: Cook, Airborne. He was assigned to Ft Dix for the duration. Well within driving range of his LI home.
My father was given a choice to serve as a radio operator in the Amazon during the war.
He admitted he was thrilled—would rather take his chances against Brazilian head-hunters (and yeah they were there) rather than German or Japanese troops.
Those radio operators actually did save the lives of airmen whose planes were damaged and needed a place to land.
The obscure airbase was ridiculously boring—but the men stationed there could return home with honor as having done their duty.